Pakistan thrice tried to formalize Durand Line: Taliban official

During the regime of Taliban, Islamabad tried to make the over 2,000-kilometre Durand Line a permanent border between Afghanistan and Pakistan , a former diplomat of Taliban reveals.

Mullah Abdul Salam Zaif who was ambassador of Taliban to Islamabad says the country tried three times to formalize the border but it repeatedly received a negative response.

According to Mullah Zaif, first time Pakistan urged Taliban to accept the border when Mullah Abdul Raziq appointed as the interior minister, second time the regime was forced during the visit of Pakistan’s interior minister Moinuddin Haider to Kabul who also travelled to Kandahar for the same purpose.

Mullah Zaif says the demand was made for the third time during the presidency of General Parwiz Musharaf.

The line was drawn in 1893 as a temporarily border between Afghanistan and the British India based on an agreement.